Supreme Court Scrutinizes Legality of Delhi Metro Shutdown Amid Protests

The Supreme Court has raised concerns over the legality of shutting down 17 Delhi Metro stations during protests. The court seeks responses from the concerned authorities, questioning the proportionality of such actions without statutory backing or a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The Supreme Court of India, on Thursday, issued a notice to the Central Government and other relevant authorities regarding a plea challenging the closure of 17 Delhi Metro stations during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests. The petitioner has questioned the legality and proportionality of restricting public movement by shutting down a public utility.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, has sought a response from the Central government, Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), and the Delhi government. The Supreme Court identified substantial constitutional issues, particularly concerning restrictions on public rights and the exercise of executive power.

The counsel argued that the Metro station closures were unjustifiable as mere law-and-order measures, especially in the absence of any statutory authorization or a specific Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide such shutdowns. The shutdown announcements, made through posts on X, also face scrutiny for lacking formal orders. Justice Bagchi noted the challenges in having a SOP for such situations, though court intervention seems necessary when executive discretion appears disproportionate.

It was noted that the closures on July 20 and 22, communicated as security measures, were announced through service updates during the protests. The Metro Act's provisions were also questioned as they do not explicitly allow the shutdown of Metro stations, particularly when underground railways are under the Union List's purview.